Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

1 Profitable Stock Worth Your Attention and 2 We Find Risky

YUM Cover Image

While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".

Not all profitable companies are created equal, and that’s why we built StockStory - to help you find the ones that truly shine bright. Keeping that in mind, here is one profitable company that balances growth and profitability and two that may struggle to keep up.

Two Stocks to Sell:

McCormick (MKC)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 15.8%

The classic red Heinz ketchup bottle’s competitor, McCormick (NYSE: MKC) sells food-flavoring products like condiments, spices, and seasoning mixes.

Why Does MKC Worry Us?

  1. Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy
  2. Earnings per share lagged its peers over the last three years as they only grew by 2% annually
  3. Capital intensity has ramped up over the last year as its free cash flow margin decreased by 4.8 percentage points

McCormick’s stock price of $70.60 implies a valuation ratio of 22.3x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why MKC doesn’t pass our bar.

Hilton (HLT)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 21.1%

Founded in 1919, Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a global hospitality company with a portfolio of hotel brands.

Why Do We Think Twice About HLT?

  1. Annual sales growth of 8.4% over the last two years lagged behind its consumer discretionary peers as its large revenue base made it difficult to generate incremental demand
  2. Weak revenue per room over the past two years indicates challenges in maintaining pricing power and occupancy rates
  3. Demand will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street’s estimates imply tepid growth of 7.2%

At $274.07 per share, Hilton trades at 32.8x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with HLT, check out our full research report (it’s free).

One Stock to Watch:

Yum! Brands (YUM)

Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 30.9%

Spun off as an independent company from PepsiCo, Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) is a multinational corporation that owns KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill.

Why Could YUM Be a Winner?

  1. Bold push to open new restaurants demonstrates an ambitious strategy to establish itself in underpenetrated territories
  2. Healthy operating margin of 31.9% shows it’s a well-run company with efficient processes
  3. Strong free cash flow margin of 19.3% enables it to reinvest or return capital consistently

Yum! Brands is trading at $146.89 per share, or 23.2x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it’s free.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Trump’s April 2025 tariff bombshell triggered a massive market selloff, but stocks have since staged an impressive recovery, leaving those who panic sold on the sidelines.

Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Find your next big winner with StockStory today

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

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